A Tale of Two Half's ........

Crowborough have still to record their first win this season, in spite of showing glimpses of potential promise. However, only when the team’s collective confidence,( which has been sorely tested in recent weeks), returns, will it be possible for that potential to be fulfilled.
Crowborough started this match in a lively, if not terribly accurate fashion, by throwing everyone into attacking down the right, but as in previous games they were undone when the final loose pass went to ground, only to be scooped up by the opposition winger, who unchallenged, galloped fully 65 metres to score under the posts for the opening converted score. 0-7
Ben Whiteman kept ‘Boro close with a well struck penalty some minutes later, with a second opportunity being pulled just wide. 3-7
With one score already handed to them on a plate, the Horsham #15 placed a speculative kick up-field, and as he challenged his opposite number for the ball, it was knocked on into his arms leaving him just a few metres to trot in to record their second gifted 7 points. 3-14
Crowborough’s largess knows no bounds, and when Horsham put one of their few attacks together, it was an attempted last ditch chest high tackle that saw two firm hand–offs in quick succession, dispatching the final cover for Horsham’s third converted score.3-21
Much to their credit ‘Boro resumed the match, taking the game to the visitors, but with the score running away from them, that essential cohesiveness and commitment to the plan appeared to evaporate as individuals tried to make the difference that would get their side back into the game, only for the inevitable turnover deep in the Horsham half that was collected by the mercurial left winger who skipped past two defenders to score the bonus point converted try on half time.3-28
Remarkably this was to be the last time that Horsham troubled the ‘Boro line, and whatever the ‘Boro coaching team said at the half time talk appeared to have had some effect, as the ‘Boro pack controlled both the set pieces, and the backs got some semblance of order into their play that denied Horsham access to any further easy points.
However it was not until the final twenty minutes that ‘Boro’s newly found spirit came to the fore when quick ball was off–loaded to fast arriving support players that saw the move cover sixty metres before the final off-load to Ben Searle who evaded four attempted tackles to scamper over for a well taken team try. With Ben Whiteman of the pitch, The kicking duties were handed to Sam Kisbee, who stuck his first slihjtlykick wide of the up-right, 8-28.
With time running out ‘Boro were awarded a penalty within kicking range but opted to go for touch. With Harry Slatter dominating the lineout he once again took the catch and although Horsham were intent on preventing the drive, a revived ‘Boro pack drove the bigger visitor pack, back and over their own line with Charlie Bulow grounding the ball for the try with Sam Kisbee adding the two points bringing the game to an end with the score at 15-28 a score-line that looked most improbable at half time, leaving the faithful wondering what would have been the outcome, if their last twenty minute performance had been replicated for the whole of the 80 minutes?
Next weekend, Boro' look to travel to Dulwich in South London to face Old Alleyians with the same spirit shown in the second-half of this fixture.
Report By Rick Howe.